Sustainability, Durability, and Design:The Future of Building Envelopes

The first in a planned series of forums is organized by the University of Toronto’s Department of Civil Engineering and the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, and Holcim (Canada) Inc.

Rapid global urbanization is driving the growth of high-rise residential and office buildings, large scale healthcare and institutional buildings and major commercial retail developments. Now more than ever it is imperative that we address energy efficiency in both new construction and existing stocks of older buildings.

In heating climates such as Canada, building envelope performance is typically the most cost effective way to address energy demands from buildings. However, the size and design of these projects presents unique challenges for optimal specification, construction, maintenance and retrofitting of the building envelope. In the long term, failure to address these issues will have serious implications for operating costs, occupant comfort, and utility services.